15 Types of Centipedes in Virginia
15 types of centipedes have a verified observation record in Virginia. The most frequently recorded are House Centipede, Eastern Red Centipede and Brown Centipede. Here is the full list, ranked by how often each is reported on iNaturalist.
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15 types of centipedes have a verified observation record in Virginia. The most frequently recorded are House Centipede, Eastern Red Centipede and Brown Centipede. Here is the full list, ranked by how often each is reported on iNaturalist.
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Real sighting data, source iNaturalist
5,781 verified observations on iNaturalist of centipede have been recorded in Virginia, most often in April, March, May.
When centipede are recorded in Virginia
Verified species, source iNaturalist
15 types of centipedes recorded in Virginia
15 centipede species have a verified observation record in Virginia, each with at least 10 confirmed sightings. The full list, ranked by how often each is recorded, is below.
4 of the 15 shown are recorded as introduced to Virginia rather than native.
- No openly licensed photo yet1
- No openly licensed photo yet2
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- No openly licensed photo yet6
Scolopocryptops peregrinator
Scolopocryptops peregrinator
103 records - No openly licensed photo yet7
- No openly licensed photo yet8
Big-leg Centipede
Theatops posticus
87 records - No openly licensed photo yet9
Strigamia bothriopus
Strigamia bothriopus
77 records - No openly licensed photo yet10
Strigamia bidens
Strigamia bidens
41 records - No openly licensed photo yet11
Blue Belly Centipede
Scolopocryptops nigridius
36 records - No openly licensed photo yet12
Also recorded in Virginia
| # | Species | Scientific name | Records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | Bothropolys multidentatusBothropolys multidentatus | Bothropolys multidentatus | 22 |
| 14 | Strigamia branneriStrigamia branneri | Strigamia branneri | 22 |
| 15 | Cryptops leucopodusCryptops leucopodus | Cryptops leucopodus | 21 |
Plus 33 more recorded only rarely (fewer than 10 verified sightings). Counts from verified iNaturalist observations.
The House Centipede (Scutigera coleoptrata) is the most commonly recorded, with 1,315 verified observations, about 42% of all centipedes reported in Virginia. If you spot a centipede here, it is statistically most likely to be this one.
Virginia also hosts less common centipedes such as Diamondback Soil Centipede, Big-leg Centipede and Strigamia bothriopus, each recorded fewer than 100 times. These are the species worth a second look when you are out, since a sighting is more notable.
Not every one of these is originally from here. House Centipede, Brown Centipede and Japanese House Centipede are recorded by iNaturalist as introduced in Virginia rather than native, so they arrived with human help rather than on their own.